Education reform...

I have stepped out of the "classroom" some time ago but, I am still very away of how it is painfully obvious that we are in need of an educational revolution in the United States.
NOT all students are receiving what they need to THRIVE in the educational system. Some are behind, some excel, however not ALL have their parents support or the necessary interventions.

Realistically education in a large forum can NEVER be ideal, BECAUSE each child develops sensory/motor skills at a very young age and these developments are often taken for granted because they are basic and develop automatically in the typically developing child. When we teach a student at school, children in whom these skills have not fully developed find learning difficult if not impossible. On a separate note, we will NEVER bring a child TO level by moving SLOWER or bring a child who is ahead further ahead by throwing "extra" work at them.

Through the years, many have tried to reform education from the OUTSIDE. It has not worked. IF you have NEVER been in a classroom, you have NO business attempting to reform the educational system! The point is something new and innovative must take place for education to make real changes.

Public education cannot fix it all; it’s not a one-stop shop. Let’s be honest, students come to school with all kinds of issues, and as a whole we cannot ignore the numbers. Our students in this state are not making the cut. That is why we need an Educational Revolution.



THIS is why I home-school... well A LOT of the reason, but not ALL of it!

BECAUSE of my educational background and my views on the current educational system, my current choice of home-schooling my children is often seen as offensive or judgmental or wrong. The truth is, my reasons for homeschooling are many.

I am a teacher and I pretty good one at that. (on a side note: there are lots of smart and productive people who have never gone to college or are college drop outs -- so the fat that I have several degrees is SORT of irrelevant) While I take pride in being the FIRST and ONLY person in my family to have a college degree it is not the sum and total of me being.
I am NOT a patient person and I WILL roll my eyes when people tell me they could not home-school their children because they lack patience. While I strive NOT to complain, and act completely insane some days when it comes to my kids, as it was a CONSCIENCE DECISION I determinately am not exuding patience. I act nutty! I get frustrated! I SCREAM! I wonder what I am doing with my kids some days and yes even think "the heck with this - sign them up for school".
The thing is, I WAS your child(ren)’s teacher AND I HAD bad days, I WAS nutty, I have even shut the classroom door to scream or left feeling crazy, or lacking patience. AND I AM A GREAT TEACHER.
I know teachers. EVERYONE has friends that are teachers and they are not patient, do-rights EVERY day. In fact some of them don’t even like their job or kids.
BOTTOM line - I am doing what is BEST for my child RIGHT now.
I really do believe there are great schools out there in different communities,but as long as schools are following current trends in education and No Child Left Behind, MY child whether they are in a school with excellent standardized testing scores or poor ones, is getting at best a sub par education geared towards fake learning to pass a test at the end of the day. I WAS THERE! I KNOW!
AND there is SO MUCH wasted time in schools, so much NON-EDUCATIONAL GARBAGE goes on in the morning and the time they get home has absolutely nothing to do with educating our children. In fact schools are being used as a substitute for home and for things that should be taught at home. YES, this has A LOT to do with the break-down of the family structure, so maybe what we really need IS FAMILY REFORM and NOT so much education reform?

I home-school...

I’ve not forgotten the time wasted in the classroom. I’ve not forgotten busy work and worksheets to keep kids quiet and sitting still. I’ve not forgotten the homework and the projects that I feel should be kept at school and not at home if a kid is going to be there for the majority of their day. I’ve not forgotten the boredom or the unreasonable rules.
Our “school-work”, as I call it, exceeds the same amount of time that the children spend on assignments in the classroom each day.

I had children because I am selfish. I stay at home with my children because I am selfish. I home-school my children because I am SELFISH. I WANT to be the one who educates my children, molds their hearts and minds... SO WHAT!?!

Even on my hardest days, when the kids are fighting, the furniture has been written on, and I can’t shower or pee by myself, much clean or WORK, I would rather have my kids here, at home, with me than anywhere else.
I don’t want to miss out special moments, THE MOMENTS I HAD WITH OTHER PEOPLES CHILDREN! (like that gleam in their eye and smile that crosses their face when they realize they can read or understand simple math or the earth rotates around the sun)

Most parents, heck now, only SOME parents are around for their child's firsts, their first smile, steps, and first foods. I don't want to miss ANY firsts! I do not want to give those moments to someone else. No teacher is ever going to care more deeply, about my children’s education and well being than I am.

I want them to get plenty of sleep without being forced out of bed early in the morning to ride the bus or go through a carpool line.
I want to take my kids on vacations whenever I want.
I want my children to have healthy meals.
I want my kids to run around the yard with wooden swords, or using sticks as wands to act – and I want to witness it.
I want my kids to dress up stuffed monkeys and read them books and pretend to teach them geography or even better, pretend to take them off to some far off land while I take pictures when they aren’t looking.
I AM SELFISH!

I NEVER believed homeschooling provides a better education than public or private schools. It can, in certain situations with certain parents and certain students, but across the board this is not true.

Handwriting Day

In order to progress in lessons, it is essential to periodically test through formal assessments. Although some children may be above their aged grade in school, I always test from the beginning, and continue to test until the child reaches 60 - 80 %.
Handwriting Assessment for Pre-K
http://www.hwtears.com/files/pre-kassessment/PreK_Assessment_Naming_Lowercase_and_Capital%20letters1-2.pdf

PreK Assessment Naming Lowercase and Capital Letters1-2

Emotions Lesson for Hugging Day

National Hug Day or National Hugging Day is an annual holiday created by Rev. Kevin Zaborney. It occurs on January 21 and is officially recognized by the United States Patent and Trademark Office,but is not a public holiday. The holiday was founded on January 21, 1986 in Caro, Michigan, and has since spread to multiple different countries. The purpose for the holiday is to help everyone show more emotion in public. There is only one way you are supposed to celebrate the holiday, offer a hug to anyone and everyone you want. While National Hug Day and the Free Hugs Campaign share many similarities, there is not actual association between the two. Whether you hug a family member or a stranger, the mental and physical health benefits are the same.

Vocabulary: Children need to understand what they are feeling. There are a range of books you can use to help with a child's emotional vocabulary. My favorite is "Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day," by Jamie Lee Curtis.

In order to teach emotions, one effective tool is to help them by labeling how they feel. When a child cries, tell the child you know he or she is feeling sad; when someone takes away a toy, say you bet he or she feels angry. This way, your child will begin to associate feelings with the words that define them.

Put a Face On It
Children need to learn to relate facial expressions with emotions.
Help children with this skill by calling out emotions during morning meeting and asking children to make faces that go with those emotions. You may also ask them to draw those emotions on paper or to point to a photo of someone experiencing that emotion (from a selection you will provide). When you watch a movie together or read a story, you might pause and ask how a character is feeling and how your child knows that.

Own Your Emotions:
Help children identify how they feel by letting them express it regularly.

• When they walk into the classroom every morning, have them put their name next to their emotion on an emotions board.


• On a sheet of poster board, put names and facial expressions of several common emotions.


• Kids can have their names on cardboard with velcro or written on a clothespin. Their task is to identify how they feel and put their name next to that emotion. They can always change their name position as their emotions change.

When conflicts arise among children, ask them to explain how they feel to the other child or children. Teach children that if someone is sad we should not laugh at them; if someone is angry, we should try to understand why. Help them learn to positively express themselves without physical violence or negative reactions.

Ask “How do you feel when…” questions:

• You just found out that your grandparents are coming today and bringing you a very special surprise.


• You dropped a big object on your foot.


• Your little brother/sister broke a tower you just finished making.


• You picked up all of your toys without being asked.


• A group of friends won't let you play with them.


• A friend calls and invites you to come over and play.


• Some people you don't know are coming over today for supper.

Each question may have more than one answer. Have the child explain why they chose each emotion.

Tin Can

Create tin can luminaries....

National Popcorn Day!

The basic recipe can be found here : I modified it, because I CANNOT physically follow a recipe if my life depended on it.
10 cups freshly popped popcorn
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
3 tablespoons butter
2 and 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups FILL (raisins, nuts, dried cranberries, dried apricots, sunflowers seeds,

Directions:

1 Butter a very large bowl. Add popped popcorn and your selection of the 2 cups of fill.

2 Heat brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and juice until boil. Pour over dry ingredients in bowl.

3 Butter hands with additional butter or cooking spray. Hand mix all the ingredients in bowl and form into tennis size balls. It may be easier to use a LARGE SCOOP (I use the Pampered Chef large scoop because I am an independent consultant and well I LOVE PAMPERED CHEF). With scoop
Compact lightly to get the mixture to hold a ball shape. Set aside. Wrap each popcorn ball in plastic wrap.
4 The balls can be drizzled with melted chocolate for gift giving. I OF COURSE use the Pampered Chef double boiler for chocolate melting! SUPER easy to use, easy to clean!

Hand packed

I like to use white chocolate on the cranberry/cashew ones AND butterscotch on peanut/raisin ones. After wrapping with plastic wrap, I tie with a burgundy colored ribbon.

Snowflakes in shapes....

Let's talk shapes and sides.... let's create snowflakes.

Let's have a play-date.

Kid Inventor's Day

Fact versus Fantasy

A very simple lesson.

I have pre-cut photos from a magazine and online that the children will sort into two different groups.

Factual
and
Fantasy

Images such as:

Tolerance

The BEST book for tolerance, bullying and the like lessons is "A Bad Case of Stripes"

Martin Luther King Jr., dreamed of a world more tolerant than the one he lived in. The lessons below -- perfect for use at the start of the school year or for celebrating King's life in January, or any day when children seem to need a reminder -- are designed to teach kids about tolerance. Included: Lessons on stereotyping, appreciating differences, recognizing how words can hurt (or heal), and more.

The highest result of education is tolerance. -- Helen Keller

Helen Kellers words serve as a reminder of the key role educators play -- both as role models and as teachers of tolerance.

Celebrate Martin Luther King Find more lessons about tolerance on our special Martin Luther King Jr., Day holiday page.

The start of the school year and the days leading up to the celebration of Martin Luther King's birthday are excellent times to introduce classroom activities that teach tolerance. Exposure to such lessons has the power to make a difference in students lives -- and in the world those students will create.

Those Tear-Me-Apart, Put-Me-Back-Together, Never-Be-the-Same-Again Blues

Materials Needed

• mural or construction paper (brightly-colored paper is best)

Lesson Plan

This activity will drive home to kids of all ages the power words have to hurt -- or to heal.

Before the lesson.
Using craft or construction paper, trace and cut out a life-size silhouette/outline of a person. To avoid gender- or race-specific figures, you might want to cut the figure from green or blue paper.

Introduce the lesson.
Gather students in a group and introduce them to their new "classmate. (You might give the figure a name such as Greenie or Bluey to avoid any association with a real person.) Explain that new students often have difficulty fitting in because they are entering a situation where groups of students have already formed bonds of friendship. Point out that some people will automatically put up barriers to a new student, deciding quickly -- without even trying to get to know him or her -- that they dislike the new student.

Ask students to imagine that Greenie (for example) has just come into a classroom where bonds already have formed; the atmosphere is very unwelcoming. Invite students, one at a time, to say something mean to Greenie. They will have to use their imaginations, because Greenie has no specific features they can pick on. The teacher might even start the ball rolling by saying something like "We dont want you here, Greenie, or "We dont like people who are different from us, or "Your hair is a mess, Greenie. Each time a mean thing is said to Greenie, the teacher rips off a piece of Greenie's body and hands it to the person who made the comment.

When ripping, rip large chunks; it will need to be obvious to students where each chunk fits into the whole if they are to piece Greenie back together.

After everyone has had a chance to say something mean to Greenie, its time to start taping Greenie back together. Invite each student who said something mean about Greenie to come up and use tape to reattach his/her piece of Greenie in its proper place. As each piece is reconnected, the student must apologize to Greenie for the mean thing that was said. (You might have younger students model in advance some of the words they might say when making an apology.)

When the torn body is fully repaired -- no matter how hard the students have tried to piece him back together -- Greenie will not look the same as when students met her/him for the first time. Ask questions to lead students to the understanding that, although some of the damage has been repaired, Greenie will never be exactly the same. His feelings were hurt, and the scars remain. Chances are those scars will never go away.

Hang Greenie on a wall as a reminder of the power words have to hurt. Greenies presence will serve as constant reinforcement of a vivid lesson in kindness.

Everybody Is Unique:
A Lesson in Respect for Others

Materials Needed

• 2-inch square of white drawing paper, one sheet per student


• 3-inch square of white drawing paper, one sheet per student


• 4-inch square of white drawing paper, one sheet per student


• art supplies (might include crayons, markers, or paints)


• writing paper and pen/pencil

Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students search for the most positive aspects of some very unusual "people." The activity reinforces the idea that one cant always judge the quality of a person by his or her appearance; sometimes people can be appreciated for their differences.

To begin the lesson, write the word unique on the chalkboard or on a chart. Younger students, especially, will be intrigued by this "unique word! Ask students what the word means to them. Ask: What is it that makes you unique among your classmates?

Next, draw a simple outline of a person on the board or chart. Draw two horizontal lines across the persons body. One line should divide the persons head (including the neck) and torso (shoulders to waist); the other should divide the torso and leg area (from the waist-down). Talk about one section of the body at a time.

• Discuss some of the features that might make up a persons head/neck. Lead students to understand that people can have blue eyes or brown eyes, small ears or big ears, curly hair or straight hair, dark skin, light skin, or a shade in between, freckles, glasses, or a hat, and so on. Write students ideas about a person's head on the board or chart next to the head area of the person you drew.


• Discuss some of the ways in which peoples bodies might be different. Lead students to understand that people can be skinny or heavy, muscular or frail, square- or round-shouldered, and so on. Talk about the kinds of clothing people might wear -- a T-shirt, a sweater, a feathered boa. Write down some of the possibilities students name.


• Finally, focus on the lower body (from the waist down). Point out that people can have skinny or stubby legs and their feet point in, out, or straight ahead. People wear pants, dresses, high-top sneakers, high-heeled shoes, construction boots, ballerina slippers, and so on. Write down students ideas.

When you are satisfied that students have the three parts of the body sorted out, provide each student with a piece of white drawing paper measuring 2 inches square. Have students write their names on one side of the paper and draw on the other side of the paper the head of a person. Tell students that this should not be somebody they know; this unique person should come from their imaginations. Remind them to think first about the features the persons head will have; they can refer to the list they and their classmates created in the first part of the lesson. They should include as much detail as possible in their drawings.

It is very important that students fill up the entire square with the image of the persons head. Also, remind them their head could use a neck to sit on!

When students finish drawing a unique head, provide them with a sheet of paper that measures 4 inches square. After students write their names on one side of the paper, they should turn the paper over and draw the torso (shoulders to waist) of the person. Before they draw, remind students to imagine the features of the persons torso. How is the body shaped? What clothing is the person wearing? Once again, students should fill the entire space and draw as much detail as possible. Think unique!

When students finish drawing a torso, hand them a third sheet of paper; this time a 3-inch square. Have students write their names on one side of the paper, and draw the bottom part of their person (waist down to the feet). Remind students to fill up the space and include as much detail as possible. Once again, tell them to think unique!

As students finish their final square, have them check to be sure their names are on all three parts; then collect them. You might have students put the heads in one box or folder, the torsos in another, and the legs in a third.

Putting It Together
This part of the lesson might be done the same day or the next day.
Distribute to each student a head, a torso, and a set of legs. Students should not get a body part that they drew. Have students tape together the three body parts to create a totally unique "friend. The new friends will be pretty unusual-looking people, to say the least! But...

Here is the crux of the lesson...

Everybody is different, or unique. What a person looks like on the outside has nothing to do with what is inside! Every person has special talents, special qualities...

After students have had a good laugh about how the three body parts came together to create an unusual-looking person, ask each student to think up a name for his or her new "friend and to give some thought to some of the characteristics the new friend might have. Ask: What special qualities does this unique person have? What special talents does the person possess? What do you have in common with your new friend? How are you different?

After students have decided what qualities their new friends have, tell them you would like them to write about their new friends. You might ask each student to begin a story with the words: I would like you to meet my new friend, [name goes here].... Then give students the freedom to choose what they will write as they go on to describe exactly what it is they like so much about their new buddies.

When students have finished their stories, invite them to share them with their classmates. You might use this read-aloud session as an opportunity to reinforce the lesson you hope they will take from this activity: What a person looks like on the outside has nothing to do with what that person is like on the inside!

Sink or Float

For Rubber Ducky Day, we decided to do a Science Experiment...Since Rubber Ducky's are famous floaters, a little sinking and floating...

Does a paper clip float? Does a sponge sink? Let your child find out! This experiment is simple science fun. Plus, it lets kids practice the Guess and Check Method, as they make predictions, then test their predictions through experimentation.
What You Need:

objects for the experiment (small sponge, paper clip, toothpick, marble, plastic spoon, penny, plastic straw, crayon)
2 large pieces of construction paper
newspaper
markers
plastic dishpan
pencil
blank paper
spiral bound notebook
towel

What You Do:

Label one piece of construction paper with the word “Sink” and the other piece with the word “Float.” Gather a bunch of small everyday items, such as the examples listed above, and put them on a table covered with newspaper.
Show your child the objects you’ve collected and tell her that you’re going to conduct an experiment to find out which objects will sink in water and which will float. Make sure she’s clear on what these words mean before you get started, then ask her to predict which of the items will sink and which will float. Hold up each item, one by one, and as your child makes her prediction, place it on the appropriate piece of paper. For example, if she guesses that the penny will float, put it on the construction paper marked Float. Once she’s made guesses for all of the items, give her the blank paper and ask her to write each item’s name (or draw its picture if she’s not writing yet), to document her predictions.
Time for testing! Fill the plastic dishpan with water and put one item in at a time. Discuss the result. Then dry it off and lay it on the appropriate piece of construction paper, either Sink or Float. Once all the items have been tested, give your child the spiral bound notebook and ask her to record the results of her experiment. Then talk about the results.

The great thing about science is that it can surprise us. Ask your child if any of the objects did something she didn’t expect. Talk about the experiment. Then clean up your lab space and tuck that notebook away for a future day of experimentation!

Penguins

Creating a foot penguin is SUPER easy! Prepare the construction pieces in advance, either have them cut for toddlers and preschoolers OR have the outlines and tracers available for school-age children.

Learning Activities About Penguins:

Mostly Science in nature..

Bird Day

Our Social Studies Unit includes exploration of habitats, life cycles and comparing the needs of animals.

I asked these questions to the children,

1 Where do birds live?
-- How do you build a nest? What materials are used?
*We will make edible bird's nests:

Directions

Ingredients

Place squares of wax paper onto to individual plates. Put cereal in a large bowl. If using brick chocolate, break into pieces. Melt chocolate chips or pieces in the microwave, or over low heat on stove, just until melted. Pour melted chocolate over cereal, mix together to coat. Place mounds of chocolate/chow mien mixture onto several plates (on top of waxed paper). Have children form the mixtures into nests. Be sure the chocolate has cooled, but don't wait too long or it will harden! Using peanut butter as an adhesive, "glue" down the jelly beans and candy coated chocolate eggs inside the nest cavity. "Glue" marshmallow chick on the edge of or inside of the nest.

Rice Crispies, broken shredded wheat, or Chow mien noodles chocolate chips or brick chocolate Jelly beans or candy coated chocolate eggs marshmallow chicks (optional) peanut butter wax paper paper plates (colored plates optional)

2 - What do birds eat?
3 - What sounds do birds make?
4 - Why do birds fly south for the winter?

AWESOME Website for Science Questions:

It's National Soup Month

January is National Soup Month
Soup has been so popular throughout time that it’s actually considered one of the first fast foods. There is documentation that as early as 600 B.C., the Greeks sold soup as a fast food on the street, using peas, beans and lentils as main ingredients.

Before there was soup, there was broth, which people used to pour over a piece of bread in a bowl. That bread was known as sop, and from sop came the word soup.
No matter what you call it, there are lots of variations on the basic theme of soup, each offering a wide range of nutritional benefits.

Together we will make a simple soup for lunch...

Ingredients:
* 1 tbs Olive Oil
* 6 Cups Chicken Stock
* 1 tbs Tomato Paste (optional)
* 1/2 Cup Pastini
* 1/4 Cup Peeled, diced Carrots, Celery, Peas
* 1/4 Cup Diced, pre-cooked chicken

To Cook your soup:

Put a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan you can use a deep saucepan to start the vegetables off in... Soften the vegetables over the gentle heat on the top of the stove until they are soft but not browned.
Add the stock and pastina to the vegetables. Add tomato paste to the stock if you wish. Add chicken. Continue to cook the soup in a saucepan on a gentle heat on top of the stove until a simmering heat or less is suitable.